Neuroinclusivity in the veterinary nursing profession
This week is Neurodiversity Celebration Week, a worldwide initiative dedicated to celebrating the neurodiverse community, and challenging stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences.
In workplaces like a veterinary practice, creating a neuroinclusive environment can be key to the overall performance of a team, whether that’s through improving communication or embracing diverse perspectives and skills. A neuroinclusive environment opens up the doors for a wider spectrum of strengths to benefit the veterinary nursing profession and the care it provides.
So, how can we achieve this? The first step is gaining an understanding.
What is neurodiversity?
Neurodiversity refers to the different ways individuals experience and interact with the world, reflecting the natural variation in human brains, much like how we are all different in many other ways.
The umbrella term ‘neurodivergence’ is used to describe instances where an individual processes, learns and/or behaves differently from what is considered “typical”, or ‘neurotypical’. Some examples of conditions that fall under this umbrella include:
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Dyslexia
Dyspraxia
Dyscalculia
Tourette Syndrome
Every condition presents its own challenges, particularly when experienced in a culture that is often considered to be primarily built for neurotypical minds. In the UK, it is estimated that roughly one in seven people (around 15%) are neurodivergent. In other words, being neurodivergent is not a rarity, but rather just another attribute that forms one’s individual identity.
Thanks to society’s growing understanding and acceptance of neurodiversity, more people than ever are seeking and receiving diagnoses for neurodivergent conditions. In fact, amongst this shift are many ongoing conversations surrounding how we perceive neurodivergence – whether it is viewed as a deficit or “something wrong” with the brain, or rather ‘reflects a friction that arises when a neurodivergent person moves through a neurotypical world’ (The Guardian, 2024).
Creating a neuroinclusive environment
For many, a neurodivergent diagnosis can often serve as a kind of validation that helps individuals to make sense of their struggles and lived experiences thus far. But diagnosis can also be extremely helpful for individuals moving forward, allowing them to better understand themselves and what their brain uniquely needs to thrive. This is where neuroinclusive environments are key.
A neuroinclusive environment recognises that all brains are different and actively accommodates these differences. In doing this, it also acknowledges and fosters the strengths that neurodivergent individuals bring forward, such as detail-oriented thinking and creativity. This strength-based approach enables neurodivergent individuals to feel empowered.
Society’s increasing awareness of neurodiversity and the challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals have meant that neuroinclusive environments are becoming easier to come by. But there are still great strides to be made.
Neuroinclusivity in the veterinary nursing profession
While we have made strong progress, society’s historic lack of understanding surrounding neurodiversity still deeply impacts modern workplaces like the veterinary practice, with physical environments and working processes often narrowly designed with neurotypical people in mind.
Creating a neuroinclusive veterinary practice is not only essential to the efficacy and morale of the team but also for the wellbeing of patients. By implementing appropriate measures based on individuals’ needs and promoting culture changes organisation-wide, veterinary nursing teams can achieve enhanced communication, productivity, a broader talent pool, and ultimately, better care.
So, how can a veterinary practice achieve a neuroinclusive environment?
Reasonable adjustments
On an individual level, veterinary practices can be neuroinclusive by making required reasonable adjustments for members of their team. According to the Equality Act 2010, employers must make reasonable adjustments to ensure workers with disabilities, or certain physical or mental health conditions, are not substantially disadvantaged when doing their jobs. This includes neurodivergent individuals.
These may either be requested by the employee themselves or initiated by the employer and could apply to the working environment or tasks the individual completes in their role. Some examples of reasonable adjustments for neurodivergent employees in veterinary practice include:
consistent and predictable rotas with plenty of notice about rota alterations.
a quiet and private area to decompress/relax.
providing specific software to assist people with dyslexia when working with computer screens.
Reasonable adjustments help workplaces to achieve equity, rather than equality, enabling everyone to have the same opportunities and abilities at work.
Culture
Every team is neurodiverse by definition, as no two brains are alike. While reasonable adjustments are effective in catering to individuals’ specific needs, organisations should make every effort to promote a comfortable and psychologically safe culture for everyone. This starts with the team. There are still many stereotypes and misconceptions held in society surrounding neurodiversity that can be harmful to neurodivergent individuals. Employers should encourage conversations on this topic, highlighting the positive aspects of neurodiversity and ensuring the team is aware of appropriate and inclusive language use.
It is also important to consider how the physical environment of the veterinary practice might impact different individuals. No matter their size, veterinary practices can be very overwhelming environments, with plenty of sensory stimuli. Carrying out a ‘sensory audit’ of the workplace is an effective way to identify and remove barriers that might impact neurodivergent individuals, refining the workplace to offer a more accessible experience for all. This involves assessing how the workplace feels through each of the senses. Some environmental factors to be considered are:
lighting (is it too bright / harsh?)
temperature of the practice (is it too warm or cold?)
speaker volume if music is played (is it loud or distracting?)
By performing a sensory audit, veterinary practices can start making active steps towards providing a more comfortable and accessible environment for not only employees, but also clients and patients.
Ultimately, neurodiversity is an incredibly special and indispensable aspect of human nature that society has failed to celebrate for far too long. The power of neurodiversity and its positive impact on workplaces like the veterinary practice goes hand-in-hand with neuroinclusion. By being neuroinclusive, we are giving every individual the ability to thrive at work and provide the high level of care that our community values so highly.
The veterinary nursing profession is constantly evolving, and VetSkill is delighted to be part of an enlightened community that embraces equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) so proudly.